Petersfield Museum facts for kids
Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery is a cool local museum in the small town of Petersfield in Hampshire, England. It's a special place where you can learn about the history of Petersfield and the areas around it. The museum is run by a charity called Petersfield Museum Limited. This means it's a non-profit organization that helps the community.
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Where to Find the Museum
The museum is now located in the Old Police Station. You can find it on St Peter's Road in Petersfield. It also includes the old 'justice site'. This area has the Old Magistrates Courthouse, police stables, and a cart house. It's a really interesting place to explore!
Museum History and Growth
The museum was started by a group of local historians. They called themselves 'The Petersfield Area Historical Society'. Over many years, they collected lots of old objects and important papers. These items were later given to the museum. Now, they form the museum's huge collections.
The museum first opened its doors in 1999. It holds materials and artifacts that show the history of Petersfield. It also covers the nearby towns and villages. The museum began moving to Petersfield's old police station in 2016. Between 2017 and 2021, the museum had a big renovation. This project cost £3,750,000 and made the museum even better.
Amazing Museum Collections
The museum has many different collections. These include photographs, old documents, and maps. You can also listen to oral histories, which are stories told by people who lived in the area. A special timeline shows you the history of the town. There are also temporary displays that change every year.
Justice and Law History
Part of the old police station was added to the museum in 2016. This area now shows a Victorian justice exhibit. You can learn about how law and order worked a long time ago. It's a fascinating look into the past.
Historic Dress Collection
In 2007, the Bedales Historic Costume Collection was given to the museum. This collection has about 1000 pieces of clothing. It includes clothes for ladies, gentlemen, and children. Some items are very old, dating back to 1720! It's like a fashion show from history.
The Flora Twort Art Collection
Flora Twort was an English artist. She was famous for her watercolours and pastels. She loved to paint scenes and people from Petersfield. Her paintings were even shown at the Royal Academy. When she passed away in 1985, she left her cottage, studio, and artwork. These were given to Hampshire County Council.
In 2009, the Flora Twort Gallery and its collections moved to the Petersfield Museum Trust. This collection has many paintings, sketches, and papers about her life. You can see her lively paintings of Petersfield Market. She also painted the Taro Fair from the 1920s and 1930s.
Edward Thomas: Poet and Writer
Edward Thomas was a famous poet, writer, and critic. He lived near Petersfield in the village of Steep. He started writing poetry there in December 1914. He was 36 years old at the time. Over the next two and a half years, he wrote all 144 of his poems.
His poetry was inspired by the nature around him. Many of his poems showed his love for nature. They also showed how the First World War affected life in England. Two of his good friends were the poet Gordon Bottomley and the American poet Robert Frost. Edward Thomas's most famous poem is probably Adlestrop.
Even though he was older, he joined the army in July 1915. He served in the war and sadly passed away in April 1917. Petersfield Museum has a special Edward Thomas Study Centre. It's the only one in England. It holds a very important collection of books by and about Edward Thomas.
The Don Eades Photography Collection
In 2016, Don Eades gave his life's work to the museum. Don Eades was a photographer from Buriton. His collection shows daily life from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. You can see Petersfield's first supermarket. There are also photos of village sports, cycling lessons, and a modern factory.
Social History of Petersfield
The social history collection shows how people lived in Petersfield. It also covers the surrounding villages. You can see locally made products. These include Minibrix from the Itshide rubber factory. There are also signs from local pubs and shops. The collection has tools and objects used in homes. Some special items include a penny-farthing bicycle. This bike was made on the Isle of Wight. There is also the Coat of Arms from the old magistrates court.
